£250 reward for return of historic cricket ball to North Wales hotel

The owners of Gwesty Cobden’s Hotel in Capel Curig have appealed for the return of the famous and historic cricket ball used by Frank Cobden in the 1870 varsity match between Oxford and Cambridge.They are asking for the return of the ball or any information about its whereabouts as the ball is integral to the identity of the hotel and has been on display there for over a 125 years.

Frank C Cobden was born in London in 1849 and became famous for winning the match by taking a hat-trick when Cambridge were two runs ahead and Oxford had three wickets remaining – saving the match when it seemed certain that Oxford would win. The match became known as ‘Cobden’s Match’ and the ball as ‘Cobden’s Ball’.

In 1891 he bought a hotel in Capel Curig, north Wales and called it ‘Cobden’s Hotel’ and the ball has been on display there ever since. That is until this week when staff noticed that the ball was missing from its display case.